Obama to Start 6-Day Europe Trip in Ireland

     U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Ireland on Monday for the start of a six-day, four-nation tour of Europe. The president is expected to discuss economic issues with Irish leaders and explore his family's history in a small Irish town.

    The state of the global economy will likely be a recurring¹ topic for President Obama throughout the week, and especially in Ireland, which has been dealing² with massive government debt.  Several months ago, Ireland received emergency financial aid from the International Monetary³ Fund and the the European Union.  Economic issues are expected to be discussed when the president meets with Irish President Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Enda Kenny.

    Meanwhile, the United States is dealing with its own debt issues.  The federal government is rapidly approaching its legal borrowing limit, and opposition⁴ Republicans(共和党) in Congress say they will not raise the limit without large spending cuts.

    U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Ireland on Monday for the start of a six-day, four-nation tour of Europe. The president is expected to discuss economic issues with Irish leaders and explore his family's history in a small Irish town.

    The state of the global economy will likely be a recurring topic for President Obama throughout the week, and especially in Ireland, which has been dealing with massive government debt.  Several months ago, Ireland received emergency financial aid from the International Monetary Fund and the the European Union.  Economic issues are expected to be discussed when the president meets with Irish President Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Enda Kenny.

    Meanwhile, the United States is dealing with its own debt issues.  The federal government is rapidly approaching its legal borrowing limit, and opposition Republicans in Congress say they will not raise the limit without large spending cuts.

    But much of the president's visit to Ireland will be of a lighter⁵ nature. Mr. Obama and his family will visit a small town where some of his ancestors had lived. “I am expecting to go, not only to all the famous sites, but also to go to Moneygall, where my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather hails from," he said.

    In 1850, Mr. Obama's great-great-great-grandfather set out for America from the town of Moneygall, which today is home to fewer than 300 people.  And the president will likely meet some distant relatives during his brief visit.

    Ireland's Ambassador to the United States, Michael Collins, explained Mr. Obama's Irish lineage in a recent talk to The Heritage Foundation research group in Washington. “A man called Falmouth Carney sailed to America at the age of 19 on a vessel⁶ called the S.S. Marmion.  He was a shoemaker, and his great-great-great-grandson will be returning to Ireland next Monday as president of the United States.  It is the story of improbable success, almost of Irish legend," he said.

    White House officials say that overall, the president's Europe trip is intended to reaffirm America's “core alliances” with European nations. The United States collaborates⁷ closely with European allies on many of its international ventures.

    From Ireland, President Obama will move on to Britain on Tuesday. There, he will speak to both houses of Parliament, meet with Prime Minister David Cameron and be honored by Queen Elizabeth at a state dinner.

    Later in the week, Mr. Obama will attend the Group of Eight economic summit in the French resort city of Deauville. Security, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, is expected to be on the agenda. The president will meet separately with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, among other leaders.

    Mr. Obama's final stop will be Poland, where he will attend a meeting of Central European leaders and visit several cultural sites.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

 

1 recurring   

adj.往复的，再次发生的

参考例句：

• This kind of problem is recurring often. 这类问题经常发生。
• For our own country, it has been a time for recurring trial. 就我们国家而言，它经过了一个反复考验的时期。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

6 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

7 collaborates   

合作( collaborate的第三人称单数 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• Third, main economy Central Bank collaborates to cut the interest rate. 第三，主要经济体央行联手降低利率。
• Any one who collaborates should be shot. 与敌人勾结者一律枪决。